Ok, who me exaggerate?
I ordered from UK's Royal Mint a commemorative £2 coin featuring the centenary of the Flying Scotsman, the train that travelled from London directly north to Edinburgh. I seem to recall it could travel at 160 km/h, 100 mph, which is terribly impressive for a steam train. The Flying Scotsman visited Australia some years ago and travelled around our country's rails with great success and adulation.
The commemorative £2 coin was priced at £21, but hey, I am a foreign type and I don't pay VAT, so £17. But with £12 postage added, I am up for £29 for a £2 coin.
Then the conversion rate by my bank kicked in and while it wasn't quite AU$50, it was close.
Anyway, I like my coin and I am happy with what I bought. You are really going to have click to enlarge to see these photos properly.
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Ouch on the exchange rate. I have been hit hard by that beast too. Glad you are happy with your purchase though. I wonder how long before we get Charles on our coins?
ReplyDeleteEC, I wonder how long Charles will be on our coins until replaced by William.
DeleteI am sure it's worth the money you paid.
ReplyDeletePradeep, it is for my pleasure. Most things in life are now like that😜
Delete29 gets you a 2 pound coin. It is commemorative coin, so I think it would be a part of history. Go for it, I'd say.
ReplyDeleteI did Susan and I like it. Thanks.
DeleteThe coin is beautiful. I am a regular reader, but very infrequent commenter. Can I ask in your past life did you work for the railways, or just have an interest. Marie, Melbourne
ReplyDeleteThanks Marie. Once of Melbourne Daily Photo or like that? I did work in public transport but not for the railways.
DeleteA super coin indeed. We went to the National Railway Museum in York and saw it during one of our trips to England. I'm not sure if it is still on display there. Money exchange is a pain.
ReplyDeletePat, we will be at that very museum in about a month's time. Long have I heard about the museum and it is a focus for our last visit to England. When we were in Canada, it was $ for $. Now we only get 90 of your cents for our dollar.
DeleteYou will love the museum.
DeleteYou certainly have a wide range of hobbies. I do not know the coins too well. However, it looks kind of special to me.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me Roentare, coin collecting is not one of my hobbies. I have a few coins I have saved over the year because they were special.
DeleteGood Commemorative ‘anything’ costs….shame about the extra amount that happened along the way. Not connected to your ‘plight’ but the retail cost of year of birth coins marketed by Aus Post is huge compared to actual coin value. They come from the mint enclosed in special cardboard baby packs. I’m saving for the one I’m needing to buy this July!
ReplyDeleteMy grandad (and many others in his family) was ‘on the railways’ in Ireland - he worked his way up from granger to engine driver so steam has a place in our family.
*ganger
DeleteAnother grandchild Cathy. Odds on that one will be able to push you around in a wheelchair. I like spending money on things that are so unnecessary.
DeleteA reliable and honest ganger could work their way up to being an engine driver. As I've seen, steam train driving is not easy and a competent driver is owed respect.
I'm glad you got your coin and are happy with it:)
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra, we may eschew consumerism at times, but we all do it in our own way.
DeleteEnjoy your hobby, I say. Best wishes, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteNot a hobby at all Darla. More like I see, I want.
Deletelol Trains are very cool.
DeleteThat's a nice coin for a collection Andrew.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, I think my coin collection exists of a round 50 cent piece, a colourful two dollar Aussie coin and this latest acquisition.
Deletenot something I would ever buy, the exchange rate alone is enough to put me off as well as which child do I leave it to when I kick the bucket?
ReplyDeleteRiver, the most avaricious child will realise it is worth something. We do have things of value here, some books that will sell for a lot.
DeleteIt looks very special and well worth the money if it pleases you, as clearly it does.
ReplyDeleteYou have it in one Jabblog. It is all about me.
DeleteThis is all new to me, I'm hearing about this train for the first time, and find it intriguing not just the train itself but when it took place. 1923 I assume. By that time there were autos and planes, as well as electric locomotives, though all those things would have been fairly new, and not yet the main mode of travel. I wonder if the people behind the Flying Scotsman weren't looking at all the newfangled competition, and figured that a highly publicized trip such as was undertook would be one way of staving off any perceived obsolescence on the public's part.
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts are interesting Kirk. It would be a long time before the east coast mainline in England would be electrified. Flying for the common did not really take off until the 70s. The US may have had some freeways early but I think they were late coming to the UK. Steam trains were still running in the UK in the 1960s. I need to check when the last steam train in normal service ran on the east coast mainline. I am sure the Flying Scotsman has always been well publicised. Fast train travel on the English east coast mainline is now preferred by many people, including us who have a booked ticket in late May.
DeleteAre you ready to go ride it?
ReplyDeleteTP, I prefer more to watch and be up close.
DeleteIf you think that coin was dear, imagine the cost of loading up a locomotive to come to Australia on tour! I have heard of the Flying Scotsman but did really know anything about it. I have added it to my list of things that I want to see some day.
ReplyDeleteDebby, it must have cost a fortune but it was very successful. There was even a steam train race.
DeleteThat's really a beautiful coin and keepsake, especially for you, Andrew, with your passion for trains.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, my problem is I have an interest in many things and passion for none. But, thanks.
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